Use of Symbols in Shirley Jackson's The Lottery Essay

Submitted By lilyounggun8

Words: 488

Pages: 2

Open Document

In “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson symbols play a huge role in the development of the story. One major symbol in the story is the little black box that is used to store the slips of paper from the families. This black box represents both tradition and lack in logic of blindly following a tradition. Jackson uses the box to show that following a tradition, but not questioning its methods can prove to be detrimental to society as a whole. The black box in “The Lottery” can represent a tradition that becomes worn down over time. In the story, Jackson writes that the box is worn down and the black paint is chipping off of the sides. Even after all of this wear and tear, the townspeople refused to replace the box. The only reason the townspeople keep the box is because of stories told. One story is that the box is made of pieces from another black box used in previous lotteries. The box is also such a major part of the community’s culture that it comes with its own rhyme, “Lottery in June, corn is heavy soon.” All of these factors lead the black box to be a strong symbol of tradition. The black box also represents the foolishness of the townspeople. The black box becomes worn down, but the people refuse to replace it. When people find that using wood chips is out of date they begin to use paper instead. The townspeople found no need to replace the box, but they replaced the wood chips. There is no reason why the townspeople should honor the box more than any other historical objects, just as there is no reason for the townspeople to continue holding the lottery at all. The box can also represent the fear society has to deviate from time honored

Essay on TheLotteryDecember5th

a ladder. Oftentimes people follow superstitions so much that they become rituals. This idea is seen in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. Ms. Jackson develops her short story using symbols, such as names, objects, numbers and specific times in the setting to further the idea that superstitions overtime become rituals. Ms. Jackson uses a network of allegorical symbolism in “The Lottery” to build around a severe commentary of how tradition works in American culture. Tradition both as a means of…

Words 2280 - Pages 10

Essay on The Lottery

In Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery,” one of the main characters is Mr. Summers. “The lottery was conducted--as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program--by Mr. Summers.” Summers might be the busy body of the village, but he is not the protagonist of the story. Because he represents the status quo situation in the village, his presence in the story is one of the most significant symbols of “The Lottery.” Summers represents blind adherence to ritual, as he is in charge…

Words 647 - Pages 3

Imagery In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

In the short story The Lottery the author, Shirley Jackson, begins the story using vivid and detailed imagery to set the setting and tone for the story. Jackson describes the village as”clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day” (paragraph 1). The author’s diction indicates that the town is welcoming and in the process of transitioning into a fresh start of a new season. Jackson misleads the audience into thinking that the village is average and performing the usual day to day activities…

Words 619 - Pages 3

Tradiotion or Cruelty Essay

Tradition or Cruelty "The Lottery," a short story written by Shirley Jackson, is a tale about a disturbing social practice. The setting takes place in a small village consisting of about three hundred towns people. On June twenty-seventh of every year, the members of this traditional community hold a village-wide lottery in which everyone is expected to participate. Throughout the story, the reader gets an odd feeling regarding the residents and their annual practice. As the story begins,…

Words 752 - Pages 4

Mending Wall And The Lottery

the other hand, Shirley Jackson’s short story, “The Lottery”, is a story that depicts the village’s idea of a tradition. The people assembled and drew from the black box. The person who grabbed the paper with the black mark on it would be stoned to death, along with a member of their family. While some of the people like the idea of keeping the tradition around, others want it gone. Both Robert Frost and Shirley Jackson use symbolism and irony throughout “Mending Wall” and “The Lottery” to emphasize…

Words 874 - Pages 4

Symbolism In The Lottery By Shirley Jackson

In The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson she includes different symbols and themes in her story. Two themes that are mentioned throughout the story are traditions and customs along with family. The main tradition that happens in this story is The Lottery. In this tradition everyone is included, family, friends, and all villagers including the young and old. The black box and the lottery and the stones used symbols that she illustrates in the story. One of the villagers is chosen and then killed at the…

Words 1194 - Pages 5

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: an Analysis Essay example

Kouyialis EN102: Composition II Professor Eklund The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: An Analysis The short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson was written in 1948 and takes place in a small town, on the 27th of June. In this story, the lottery occurs every year, around the summer solstice. All families gather together to draw slips of paper from a black box. When reading this story, it is unclear the full premise of the lottery until near the end. The heads of households are the first…

Words 1528 - Pages 7

Archetypes In The Lottery

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson uses different characters who stand as symbols of society's archetypes providing a dark glimpse into human's true nature. The pivotal characters that stand as archetypes are the unnamed crowd who represent the mob mentality that defines society, Bill Hutchison who fails to protect his wife revealing his focus on protecting his own life , and Mr. Summers who oversees the "lottery" that condemns a member of the community to death by stoning. The villagers all assemble…

Words 581 - Pages 3

Use Of Irony In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery

In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” irony is the headline for the entire short story. The setting begins with a summer day being sunny and clear, but the ending is about a woman getting stoned to death. The story takes place in a small town, and every year for the past seventy years, the people of the town hold a lottery. As the lottery is held, one person’s name is drawn from the black box, and that person gets stoned. Jackson uses symbolism, setting and the townspeople to conceal the true theme…

Words 557 - Pages 3

Compare And Contrast The Lottery And The Rocking Horse Winner

Love or The Lack of Love The two short stories, “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “The Rocking Horse Winner” by D. H. Lawrence both use symbols to help the reader understand the theme of the story; however, the themes of both stories were completely different, one about love the other the lack of love. Every day people commit crimes and us excuses as though any excuse would justify committing a crime. Reading Jackson’s “The Lottery Winner” does not appear to have any difference from the typical…

Words 737 - Pages 3